Date:21/08/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/08/21/stories/2008082160481200.htm

National

BJP setting a bad example, says Gowda

Special Correspondent

BANGALORE: Janata Dal (Secular) president H.D. Deve Gowda has criticised Bharatiya Janata Party president Rajnath Singh for allowing his party in Karnataka to “resort to unethical and undesirable political games.” The party has started “poaching” MLAs from other parties.

Addressing journalists here on Wednesday, Mr. Gowda said the party was setting a “bad example” for the country. He accused the BJP of leveraging the enormous money power it recently acquired through mining and real estate interest to “change the course of democracy.”

“Mr. Singh should understand the implications of his party’s actions in Karnataka; it might have nationwide ramifications and render the time-tested standards of Indian democracy to shame”.

Hindutva agenda

Mr. Gowda said, “I would not like to comment on the Hindutva agenda that the BJP intends to use in the coming Lok Sabha election. However, what did Mr. Singh and party do with Hindutva in the previous elections? What happened to the Ram Janmabhoomi issue and what had happened to various resources it had gathered to build that temple? If Mr. Singh thinks that the Hindutva agenda works for the party, why it did not win any seats in Ayodhya in the last elections?”

He said, “I and my party will not budge an inch from the original agenda of commitment to secularism and pro-poor and pro-farmer issues.”